England considering diplomatic snub!

India on for an English snub

November 20, 2005 18:56 IST

Piqued by Board of Control for Cricket in India's refusal to alter the venues for England tour early next year, the visitors are planning a diplomatic snub by playing their warm-up games in Pakistan, media reported on Sunday.

It would be a significant step by England in their feud with the Indian Board, who have drafted an itinerary, which can only be called humiliating, The Sunday Telegraph said in a report.

"Assuming that the itinerary is confirmed at an Indian Board meeting on Nov 29-30, England will reject both warm-up venues," Scyld Berry, the writer, said quoting sources.

Instead, England would play two practice games in Pakistan before flying via Delhi to Ahmedabad for the first Test which begins on March 8.

"I'm sure we can arrange something between Islamabad and Lahore," Ali was quoted in the report.

The only previous occasion on which England had gone out of their way to practice in another country was last winter when they preferred to warm-up in Namibia before flying to Zimbabwe.

"That England are considering treating India in the same way, barring a change of leadership in the Indian Board elections this month reflects their discontent," the report said.

According to the newspaper, the ECB were shocked when the itinerary was announced as Mumbai, where the third Test will be played, is the only one of top ten venues where England will play.

"But the final straw came on Thursday when England were told the two three-day practice games at the start of their tour had been allocated to the northeast; one in Jamshedpur, a steel city, the other in Agartala, which has never staged a significant game of cricket.

"The main hotel in Agartala has rooms costing less than 5 pounds per night, according to its website," the report claimed.

The newspaper claimed that the feud between England and India went back to the 1996 World Cup, which the former thought they were going to stage before the latter grabbed it and made a fortune out of it.

"The relationship was made worse by the animosity between former ECB chairman, Lord MacLaurin and the power-broker of Indian cricket Jagmohan Dalmiya," the report claimed.

I don't understand why India insist on forcing touring international teams to play at the most obscure venues. Sure, England shouldn't have complained too much about the test venues, but the ones for the warm-up matches seem ridiculous. India should be more sensible. I don't think many football teams would be happy to practice in some remote Amazon town while touring Brazil .

I'll look forward to India playing in Scotland and Durham in September 2007. If India are going to blatantly ignore England and common sense then England should do whatever they like.

Might send them to Taunton for a run-fest or two, certainly wouldn't mind Tendulkar, Dravid et al filling their boots in my back yard.

It's not the remoteness of the locations which bothers them, from what I gather - it's the fact that they have to keep flying all over the place rather than doing the trip in a logical order so they don't have to keep going back where they came from. India's a lot bigger than the UK, which is why there won't be this kind of fuss when India come here. Or there shouldn't, anyway.

I don't understand why India insist on forcing touring international teams to play at the most obscure venues. Sure, England shouldn't have complained too much about the test venues, but the ones for the warm-up matches seem ridiculous. India should be more sensible.

Dude, if you dont know something...Please dont comment on it. Jamshedpur is a major Industrial city in India and has hosted many ODIs, even England have played there before.

I have not visited Agartala so can't comment on the venue, But Queen's team are going to whine, no matter what they are offered.

Might send them to Taunton for a run-fest or two, certainly wouldn't mind Tendulkar, Dravid et al filling their boots in my back yard.

It's not the remoteness of the locations which bothers them, from what I gather - it's the fact that they have to keep flying all over the place rather than doing the trip in a logical order so they don't have to keep going back where they came from. India's a lot bigger than the UK, which is why there won't be this kind of fuss when India come here. Or there shouldn't, anyway.

...and that's why the BCCI have the rotation policy. You have 1 billion people who all (well, maybe not all) want to see cricket. Jamshedpur is a pretty big (and pretty nice from what I remember last time I was there) city...not some country backwater. I haven't been to Agartala, but seeing as it is in Tripura, I would imagine it is a very picturesque and relaxed kind of city.
At any rate, the ECB would be well-advised not to get on the wrong side of the BCCI...considering the power the subcontinent holds in relation to financial matters.